Grammar overview: Difference between revisions
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{{Example|{{red|Bu}} suao hóq.|It's {{red|not}} important.}} | {{Example|{{red|Bu}} suao hóq.|It's {{red|not}} important.}} | ||
{{Example|{{green|Pu}} {{orange|fı | {{Example|{{green|Pu}} {{orange|fı}} guaı jí.|I {{green|was}} {{orange|about to}} work.}} | ||
== Clauses == | == Clauses == | ||
You can start a subclause by saying certain particles in the glottal tone {{Done|3}}. There's {{t|ꝡä}} "that", {{t|mä}} "whether", {{t|tïo}} "to what degree" and more. | |||
You can start a subclause by saying | |||
{{Example|Dua jí, ꝡä guaı súq.|I know that you work.}} | {{Example|Dua jí, ꝡä guaı súq.|I know that you work.}} | ||
{{Example|Bu dua jí, mä | {{Example|Bu dua jí, mä meo súq.|I don't know whether you're sad.}} | ||
{{Example|Pu dua jí, tïo foı súq.|I knew how bored you were.}} | |||
You can also use these | You can also use these particles in the falling tone {{Done|1}} in the main clause. {{t|Ꝡa}} doesn't change the meaning, but {{t|ma}} and {{t|tıo}} are how you ask questions. | ||
In English it seems weird to have a complementizer in the main clause (*''That I'll work.'') but in Toaq it's fine. | In English it seems weird to have a "complementizer" in the main clause (*''That I'll work.'') but in Toaq it's fine. | ||
{{Example|Ꝡa guaı jí.|I work.}} | {{Example|Ꝡa guaı jí.|I work.}} | ||
{{Example|Ma | {{Example|Ma meo súq?|Are you sad? (Whether you're sad?)}} | ||
{{Example|Tıo foı súq móq?|How bored are you?}} | {{Example|Tıo foı súq móq?|How bored are you?}} | ||
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{{Example|Nuı jí.|I am-small.}} | {{Example|Nuı jí.|I am-small.}} | ||
We can make noun phrases | We can make noun phrases by combining a [[determiner]] (particle in {{done|2}}) with a verb. Determiners are words like: the, a, each, some… | ||
{{Example|sá kato|'''some''' that are-cats, i.e. some cat(s)}} | {{Example|sá kato|'''some''' that are-cats, i.e. some cat(s)}} | ||
{{Example|tú jara|'''each''' that runs, i.e. each runner}} | {{Example|tú jara|'''each''' that runs, i.e. each runner}} | ||
{{Example|báq nuı|'''[[kind]]''' that is-small, i.e. small things in general}} | {{Example|báq nuı|'''[[kind]]''' that is-small, i.e. small things (in general)}} | ||
This always binds a "variable" that can be accessed by repeating the verb itself in the rising tone {{done|2}}. | This always binds a "variable" that can be accessed by repeating the verb itself in the rising tone {{done|2}}. | ||
{{Example|Dua tú poq, ꝡä suao {{green|póq}}.|Each person knows that {{green|they}} are important.}} | {{Example|Dua tú poq, ꝡä suao {{green|póq}}.|Each person knows that {{green|they}} are important.}} | ||
== Saying "the" == | |||
You can put a verb in {{done|2}} even when there was not a "binding" earlier in the sentence. This acts like saying "the" in English. The "binding" lives in the shared context or knowledge of the speaker and the listener. | |||
{{Example|Luaı póq.|The person is funny.}} | |||
The determiner {{t|hú}} means "the/that", too, but explicitly means we're referring to something mentioned earlier. | |||
{{Example|Luaı hú poq.|That person (you or I mentioned) is funny.}} | |||
The determiner {{t|ké}} means "the/this/that" when we're referring to something definite but ''not'' mentioned earlier. | |||
{{Example|Luaı ké poq.|(There's) this person (who) is funny.}} | |||
== {{t|hí}} and {{t|raı}} == | == {{t|hí}} and {{t|raı}} == | ||
Revision as of 13:42, 13 August 2023
Sentence structure
Toaq word order is "verb, subject, object".
Verbs are in the falling tone 
. Pronouns are in the rising tone 
.
Guaı jí.
I work.
Dua jí hóq.
I know it.
Verbs can be preceded by tense, aspect, and polarity (negation) words.
Bu suao hóq.
It's not important.
Pu fı guaı jí.
I was about to work.
Clauses
You can start a subclause by saying certain particles in the glottal tone 
. There's ꝡä "that", mä "whether", tïo "to what degree" and more.
Dua jí, ꝡä guaı súq.
I know that you work.
Bu dua jí, mä meo súq.
I don't know whether you're sad.
Pu dua jí, tïo foı súq.
I knew how bored you were.
You can also use these particles in the falling tone in the main clause. Ꝡa doesn't change the meaning, but ma and tıo are how you ask questions.
In English it seems weird to have a "complementizer" in the main clause (*That I'll work.) but in Toaq it's fine.
Ꝡa guaı jí.
I work.
Ma meo súq?
Are you sad? (Whether you're sad?)
Tıo foı súq móq?
How bored are you?
Verbs and determiners
In Toaq, nouns and verbs and adjectives are all the same part of speech, called verbs.
Kato jí.
I am-a-cat.
Jara jí.
I run.
Nuı jí.
I am-small.
We can make noun phrases by combining a determiner (particle in ) with a verb. Determiners are words like: the, a, each, some…
sá kato
some that are-cats, i.e. some cat(s)
tú jara
each that runs, i.e. each runner
báq nuı
kind that is-small, i.e. small things (in general)
This always binds a "variable" that can be accessed by repeating the verb itself in the rising tone .
Dua tú poq, ꝡä suao póq.
Each person knows that they are important.
Saying "the"
You can put a verb in even when there was not a "binding" earlier in the sentence. This acts like saying "the" in English. The "binding" lives in the shared context or knowledge of the speaker and the listener.
Luaı póq.
The person is funny.
The determiner hú means "the/that", too, but explicitly means we're referring to something mentioned earlier.
Luaı hú poq.
That person (you or I mentioned) is funny.
The determiner ké means "the/this/that" when we're referring to something definite but not mentioned earlier.
Luaı ké poq.
(There's) this person (who) is funny.
hí and raı
We can ask questions using the determiner hí, which means "which?"
Chum chuq súq hí haq?
Which food are you eating?
The verb raı means "to be anything". To say "something, everything, what", use sá raı, tú raı, hí raı.
Chum chuq súq hí raı?
What are you eating? (Which anything are you eating?)
Gı tú raı.
Everything is good.